familypediawikiaorg-20200214-history
Elk Falls Park, Colorado
]] Elk Falls Ranch is in Park County, Colorado and Jefferson County, Colorado near Pine, Colorado. It is currently divided between Staunton State Park and the Elk Falls Property Owners Association and the Lower Lake Ranch. The ranch reach its peak size, at about 3,000 acres, around 1950 before it was subdivided. It had been assembled by purchasing adjacent ranches by Alice E. Jensen (1901-?) and Elmer Carl Berg (1899-1962). Owners * Brown circa 1880 to circa 1895 *Johan Christian Jensen (1863-1922) circa 1895 to 1922 *Alice Ellen Jensen (1901) (Sally) and Elmer Carl Berg (1899-1962) circa 1922 to circa 1962 *Divided between Staunton State Park and the Elk Falls Property Owners Association and Lower Lake Ranch Research *Katie and Lang wrote: "Lower Lake Ranch is a historic landmark, first known in the 1860's as Lionshead Guest Ranch then purchased by the Ranch manager's family John Jensen. The Ranch is located at about 8000 feet, where cool summer days and evenings are ideal temperatures for outdoor vacationers. The Jensen family operated the ranch from 1878 sic until 1966 when a descendant, Alice Jensen Berg the widow of Elmer Berg, sold the oldest Guest Ranch and Sportsmen's Club in Colorado to family and friends who had been enjoying the ranch for many years." *My Colorado Mountain Wedding website: "In 1878 sic, John Jensen Homesteaded and later named his ranch in the Valley, The Lower Lake Ranch. The Jensen Pioneer family discovered the Elk Creek Valley and instantly fell in love with its natural beauty. Within 5 years (1883), the ranch was known as 'Quite the Mountain Resort'. Between 1892 and 1902 the ranch hosted 'The Denver Athletic Club camps'. The boys cabin was named Apache Lodge and the Girls cabin was named Buffalo Bill Lodge. Weekly stories seemed to appear in local papers describing names of guest and what activities they enjoyed. Stories told about John Jensen driving his horse drawn buggy down to the Pine Train depot to pick up Guests for a great get-away. Once guest arrived they could expect a great meal that would be prepared by Mrs Jensen, she was the cook. As the Jensen children grew they entertained guest with great songs from Norway. Articles published in 1883, by the local county newspaper described the ranch as 'a Grand Tourist Resort'. In 1901 sic, tragedy occurred when Mrs. Jensen passed away but John and his four children continued the guest ranch operation until his death in 1922. Alice Jensen the youngest of the Jensen children stayed at the ranch and continued the business, then in 1924, after Alice Jensen married Elmer Berg, (a tall handsome Swedish gentleman) the Bergs continued the Jensen's dream of operating the Guest Ranch and Fishing club. In the 1930‘s the Bergs built a new barn, known as the dance barn. The upstairs barn floor was built with fine oak flooring then black paint marked the Shuffle board area. The Local Newspaper always kept locals residents informed about Barn dance events, or a grand local wedding held at the ranch. Then there are stories remember by relatives such as Bonnie, Alice Jensen's 92 year old niece, 'Aunt Alice and Uncle Norman had beautiful voices often singing at a wedding ceremony held along the creek, or at the school house events'. In 1949, Elmer Berg one of the founders of Round up Riders of the Rockies, hosted the newly formed horseback riding group ending ride banquet at the ranches new Banquet Hall. The Banquet Hall was known for its knotty pine walls, ceilings and the great stone fireplace. Guest could enjoy the inside dancing, eating or just relaxing. Between 1949 to 1959, The Guest Ranch and Fishing Lodge became recognized as the 3R’s chuck wagon, serving “Great Food” off Elmer’s Mobile Grill. Ask the owners to tell more stories of the oldest Guest Ranch in Colorado when you come for a visit. For over 120 years, guests have enjoyed this mountain get-a-way for indoor and outdoor recreation and relaxation. Today, that tradition is continued, host your family reunion, a business retreat, a fishing adventure, a wedding or just visit the ranch for a quiet getaway and stay in a 'WOW' cabin room where you can enjoy a soak in a hot tub in front of the fireplace. The same beauty and hospitality of years past has been preserved for visitors today. Surrounded by Mountain ranges, touched by a flowing creek, stocked ponds, whispering willows, and blue skies. Lower Lake Ranch is the perfect get-a-way located on over 200 acres and situated at 8000 feet, just 20-30 minutes from the Denver Metropolitan area. *Park County Heritage website: "In 1878 sic, John Jensen homesteaded in the Elk Creek Valley and later named his property Lower Lake at Elk Falls Ranch. In the late 1880s sic he drove his horse-drawn buggy down to the Pine train depot to pick up ranch guests while Mrs. Jensen served as the cook. Articles published in 1898 by the local newspaper describe the ranch as a Grand Tourist Resort. For over 120 years, this mountain resort has been a destination for quiet retreats, weddings, reunions and outdoor recreation. Designated as a Park County Historic Landmark, the Cathedral Peaks Suite and four other guest cabins provide lake views and mountain vistas. Three ponds on the 200-acre property allow guests to fish for trophy trout in this spectacular mountain setting. Note: Johan Christian Jensen (1863-1922) bought the property around 1895 and made it a resort, prior to that date the land was owned by a man named Brown. '' *Elk Falls v. Dunwody 522013: "John Jensen acquired land, known as Elk Falls, in the 1920s sic. In 1959, Mr. Jensen’s daughter, Alice Berg, and her husband, Elmer Berg, separately owned the relevant and adjacent parcels of that land. Mr. Berg owned the section underlying the roads at issue here. Ms. Berg owned the section that later became Elk Falls Blocks 1 and 2, except for several small lots that had been sold over the preceding decades. That year, Ms. Berg reacquired those lots and resubdivided the land. She recorded a new residential subdivision plat of Elk Falls Block 1 in Jefferson County, which showed, adjacent to the platted property, three roads with extensions into Mr. Berg’s land in Park County. (Park and Jefferson Counties later agreed to move the county boundary eastward approximately 600 feet, so that the boundary line now bisects Elk Falls Block 1. By agreement between the counties, Jefferson County maintains a portion of South Elk Creek Road that lies in Park County.) The interconnected westerly extensions of these three roads, Juniper Road, Jensen Road, and South Elk Creek Road, are the subject of this case. Mr. Berg died in 1962, leaving to Ms. Berg the Park County land underlying the road extensions. Before Mr. Berg’s death, Mr. and Ms. Berg had begun planning the next subdivision of Elk Falls (Block 2). And a few months after Mr. Berg’s death, Ms. Berg subdivided and recorded the plat for Elk Falls Block 2 in Jefferson County. Elk Falls Block 2 lies east of and adjacent to Block 1. In 1966, Ms. Berg sold a large portion of property, including the portion underlying the disputed roads, to the Elk Falls Ranch Development Company. The Development Company subdivided and sold residential lots on that property, platted as Elk Falls Block 3 (which lies west of and adjacent to Block 1). The Development Company did not subdivide the area underlying the extensions to Jensen and Juniper roads, and further extended South Elk Creek Road to permit owner access to newly subdivided Block 3 lots. ..."''Note: John Jensen arrived around 1895 and he died in 1922. He may have made additional purchases of land as late as the 1920's but I suspect that the bulk of the land was bought around 1900. *"Elk Falls, Colorado is located between the communities of Conifer and Bailey, southwest of Denver on highway 285. Elk Falls Ranch, named for the waterfall just east of Lion's Head, was assembled and developed by Elmer and Sally Berg in the early to mid 1900's. The community of Elk Falls, Colorado was subdivided from Ranch property in the 1960's and 70's. It has become an upscale residential community spanning the border between Park and Jefferson counties. All property owners at Elk Falls are members of the Elk Falls Property Owners Association (EFPOA) which oversees the roads, covenants, and other items of interest to the residents. The unsubdivided parts of Elk Falls Ranch including Elk Falls itself and Lion's Head were managed by the Elk Falls Development Company since the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Berg. After being listed for sale for several years, much of the Elk Falls Ranch property has been added to the (undeveloped) Staunton State Park." *"The Elk Falls Ranch, on the west side of the Park, was purchased in 1999 to improve conservation and provide access to the Park. This land adds such landmarks as Lions Head, Chimney Rock, and Elk Falls to the Staunton State Park. The 510-acre northern parcel of Elk Falls Ranch was purchased by Colorado State Parks with Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Legacy Grant funds. The 540-acre southern parcel was purchased by the State Land Board and is now leased to and managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife." Category:Protected areas of Jefferson County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of Park County, Colorado Category:Ranches on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado Category:State parks of Colorado Category:Elk Falls Park, Colorado